New York Dolls - 'Cause I Sez So

It’s worth noting how unlikely it was that this album would ever exist in the first place. After a mammoth 27-year hiatus, the New York Dolls returned only to tragically lose bassist Arthur Kane to leukemia. Only with steely endurance could they persevere to release album number four. Considering this remarkable achievement, the Dolls have fostered an album with many focal points: the glam-riffery opening to the title track, the spaghetti-Western whistling of Temptation To Exist, and the rhythmic reggae of reimagined classic Trash. Throughout, David Johansen’s simple but beguiling vocals carry the weight of the band's history. And therein lies 'Cause I Sez So's greatest appeal: were it to be sung by mere mortals, it would simply fail to carry the feel of a hugely influential band that has struggled against the odds. The lack of musical change may not break barriers, but it’s impressive that this band can cling to a constant from a plagued history.